Hunter Participation, Harvest, and Hunting Behavior During the 2018 Illinois Conservation Order

Harvest of light geese (Chen caerulescens, Chen rossii) during the 2018 Illinois Light Goose Conservation Order was estimated at 103,322. An estimated 2,505 hunters participated in the 2018 Illinois Light Goose Conservation Order. Hunters spent an estimated 30,989 days afield during 2018, and the majority (61%) of the snow goose harvest occurred during the month of February. Due to changes in sampling of addresses and calculation of estimates, comparisons should not be made to years prior to 2014. Hunters were sampled from Harvest Information Program (HIP) registrants who reported they hunted snow and other light geese (including Ross’ and Blue geese) during the 2017 Light Goose Conservation Order. Electronic calls were used by 85.1% of hunters, 79.9% used unplugged shotguns, and 61.4% reported hunting between sunset and ½ hour after sunset. About fifty-six percent of active snow goose hunters indicated an increase in effort over the past five years, and 46.5% of hunters had increased harvest of snow goose over the previous 5 years. Eighteen percent of active snow goose hunters used a guide or outfitter while hunting snow geese during the 2018 order.